Systems and methods for responsive user interface based on gaze depth

Abstract

In virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), eye tracking may be performed to determine the user's gaze direction. The gaze direction may be used to enhance user interaction. However, when a user gazes in a particular direction, it could sometimes be the case that there are multiple items located in that gaze direction, each at a different depth. The gaze of direction alone might not be indicative of the item at which the user is looking. Therefore, in some embodiments, to try to further enhance user interaction, a gaze depth of the gaze may be determined. Some embodiments are directed to performing eye tracking to detect a gaze depth of a human's gaze and modifying a user interface (UI) responsive to a change in the gaze depth.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 generating a semi-transparent user interface for presentation on a display, the semi-transparent user interface including content on the semi-transparent user interface through which a view behind the semi-transparent user interface is visible;   performing eye tracking to detect a gaze depth of a gaze of a human viewing the display; and   responsive to the gaze depth increasing while the gaze is still in the direction of the semi-transparent user interface, modifying the semi-transparent user interface to be less visually prominent to change how clearly the view behind the semi-transparent user interface can be seen by the human.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the view is rendered on the display, and the semi-transparent user interface is overlaid onto the view. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying the semi-transparent user interface to be less visually prominent comprises increasing transparency of the semi-transparent user interface. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying the semi-transparent user interface to be less visually prominent comprises at least one of:
 reducing a size of the semi-transparent user interface;   moving the semi-transparent user interface;   moving the content on the semi-transparent user interface; or   reducing an amount or size of the content on the semi-transparent user interface.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein modifying the semi-transparent user interface to be less visually prominent additionally comprises increasing transparency of the semi-transparent user interface. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 modifying the semi-transparent user interface to be more visually prominent responsive to the gaze depth decreasing.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein modifying the semi-transparent user interface to be more visually prominent comprises at least one of:
 decreasing transparency of the semi-transparent user interface;   enlarging a size of the semi-transparent user interface;   moving the semi-transparent user interface;   moving the content on the semi-transparent user interface; or   increasing an amount or size of the content on the semi-transparent user interface.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein modifying the semi-transparent user interface to be more visually prominent comprises decreasing transparency of the semi-transparent user interface. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , further comprising subsequently increasing transparency of the semi-transparent user interface to make the semi-transparent user interface less visually prominent responsive to the gaze depth subsequently increasing. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the gaze depth of the gaze comprises:
 determining a first vector representing a gaze direction of a left eye;   determining a second vector representing a gaze direction of a right eye; and   determining the gaze depth based on convergence of the first vector and the second vector.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein responsive to the gaze depth decreasing while the gaze is still in the direction of the semi-transparent user interface, modifying the semi-transparent user interface to be more visually prominent. 
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   a memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
 generate a semi-transparent user interface for presentation on a display, the semi-transparent user interface including content on the semi-transparent user interface through which a view behind the semi-transparent user interface is visible; 
 perform eye tracking to detect a gaze depth of a gaze of a human viewing the display; and 
 responsive to the gaze depth increasing while the gaze is still in the direction of the semi-transparent user interface, modifying the semi-transparent user interface to be less visually prominent to change how clearly the view behind the semi-transparent user interface can be seen by the human. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the view is rendered on the display, and the semi-transparent user interface is overlaid onto the view. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is to modify the semi-transparent user interface to be less visually prominent by increasing transparency of the semi-transparent user interface. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is to modify the semi-transparent user interface to be less visually prominent by performing at least one of:
 reducing a size of the semi-transparent user interface;   moving the semi-transparent user interface;   moving the content on the semi-transparent user interface; or   reducing an amount or size of the content on the semi-transparent user interface.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is to modify the semi-transparent user interface to be less visually prominent by additionally increasing transparency of the semi-transparent user interface. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is to modify the semi-transparent user interface to be more visually prominent responsive to the gaze depth decreasing. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor is to modify the semi-transparent user interface to be more visually prominent by performing at least one of:
 decreasing transparency of the semi-transparent user interface;   enlarging a size of the semi-transparent user interface;   moving the semi-transparent user interface;   moving the content on the semi-transparent user interface; or   increasing an amount or size of the content on the semi-transparent user interface.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor is to modify the semi-transparent user interface to be more visually prominent by at least decreasing transparency of the semi-transparent user interface. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
 generating a semi-transparent user interface for presentation on a display, the semi-transparent user interface including content on the semi-transparent user interface through which a view behind the semi-transparent user interface is visible;   performing eye tracking to detect a gaze depth of a gaze of a human viewing the display; and   responsive to the gaze depth increasing while the gaze is still in the direction of the semi-transparent user interface, modifying the semi-transparent user interface to be less visually prominent to change how clearly the view behind the semi-transparent user interface can be seen by the human.